Detachable bottom-action unit for automatic musical instruments



G. P. BRAND. DETACHABLE BOT TOM ACTlON UNIT FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED OCT 2941917.

1, 35 1, 280. Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

Z SHEETS-SHEET I.

attozue 1 G. P, BRAND.

DETACHABLE BOTTOM ACTION UNIT FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-29.1917. 1,351,280, Patented Aug- 31, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- I l Z 10 I I I i I: W 4 (Q1, f 14; J 7 1 I" 20 74 I 13 2 1, W J J 5 fawyzwaizd GEORGE P. BRAND, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DETACHABLE BOTTOM-ACTION UNIT FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

Application filed October 29, 1917. Serial No. 199,139.

To all whom it may ower 1a.:

Be it known that T, (:mouun 1 BRAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, borough of Bronx, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Detachable Bottom-Action Units for Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pedal operated exhaust mechanism for automatic musical instruments.

It pertains more particularly to the bottom action of an automatic musical instrument and it has for its object primarily to provide a simple, yet efficient, durable and reliable bottom action removable as a unit, being self supporting and embodying the pedal mechanism, a case in which the same is adapted to be folded, and exhaust mechanism supported upon said casing.

The unit is capable of manufacture at minimum cost, easily removed for repairs or other purposes, and when in place gives a neat appearance to the instrument and covers or conceals the strings and other mechanism of the piano that otherwise would be exposed to view.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which 7 Figure 1 is a front elevation showing my improved unit in position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the same from front to rear, with the pedals out of operative position. I

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the position. of the parts when the pedals are closed.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective detail of the inclosing case.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the different views.

Referring to the drawings,

1 designates the inclosing case of the unit. This may be of any suitable material. The bottom 2 thereof is provided with slots 3 extending from front to rear. for a purpose soon to be described. This case serves a double function, first of receiving and in- Closing the pedals and. the mechanism thereof when folded, and, second, as a support for the exhauster mechanism. The exhauster mechanism may be supported in any suitable manner, as, for instance, upon suitable brackets or the like 4 upon the outer side walls of the case, as seen in Fig. 4. The case is provided with suitable supporting feet or legs 5 and upon opposite walls there are affixed metallic legs or the like 6 having horizontal portions 7 for the reception of thumb bolts or the like 8 by which the unit is fixedly secured in place within the ease of the piano back of the toe-rail thereof. It is to be understood that the case 1 and all of the parts now to be described are removable as a unit and bodily insertible into the piano and there aflixed. The unit involves, therefore, the case, the pedal mechanism and the exhaust mechanism. The latter comprises, in the present instance, (although this may be varied as desired) a reservoir 10, an exhauster 11 for each pedal and a concussion or equalizer bellows 12, one for each exhauster, but as no claim is made to the particular construction or arrangement of parts composing this exhaust mechanism, it is not deemed necessary to go further into the details with relation thereto. This exhaust mechanism is supported upon the top of the case 1 and the manner of aflixing the same in position may be as herein illustrated, that is attached to the brackets or supports 4, but any other suitable or convenient means may be adopted, this being immaterial.

13 are the pedals, in this instance mounted to fold within the case 1, the means and manner of supporting the pedals being capable of many variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. In the present instance this mechanism involves the curved arms 14, one upon each side, and pivoted intermediate their lengths to the inner walls of the case 1, as at 15. The upper ends of these curved arms have pivotally connected therewith, as at 16, the links 17 which. in turn, have pivotal connection, as at 18, with the movable members of the exhausters, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. The other ends of said curved arms have pivotally connected therewith, as at 19, the links 20 which. in turn, are pivotally connected, as at 21, to the upper portions of the pedals.

28 are rods pivotally mounted at one end to the bottom of the case 1 in any suitable IOU way, the other or cross portion being passed through the pedals, as shown in Flg. 1. The center rod 29 controls the position of the pedal base in a well-known way.

In operation, the parts when the pedals are in open position are such as shown in Fig. 2. When the pedals are in folded position, the parts are in the position in which they are seen in Fig. 8.

22 are tubes or the like, one leading from near each end of the reservoir 10 to the valve action mechanism and other parts of the player. During the operation of the pedals as in playing, the lower ends of the curved arms 14c move in the slots 3, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 2. 7

My device is made as a unit, as a whole, constructed and set up at the factory and sent to the place of use where it is installed in the piano irrespective of any of the parts of the latter, and removed therefrom as a whole without disturbing any of the piano arts. p Modifications in details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

What I claim as new is 1. A. removable unit adapted to be placed in a player piano, comprising a pedal receptacle, pedals adapted to be folded in the same, and exhaust mechanism supported by said receptacle and connected to said pedals, said pedals foldable in a plane below that of said exhaust mechanism and all removable as a unit from said player.

' 2. A removable unit comprising means for supporting an exhauster, and a member pivoted intermediate its ends to. said supporting means, one end of said member being operatively connected to the movable member of said exhauster, and a pedal connected with the other end for operating said movable member.

3. A removable unit comprising exhaust mechanism, a case upon which the same is directly supported and pedals carried by said case and foldable within'the same and in a plane below that of the exhaust mechanism.

4-. A removable unit comprising support ing means, members pivotally mounted thereon, pedals mounted to fold, an exhaust mechanism below which said pedals are foldable and linked connections between said pivoted means and the pedals and a movable member of the exhaust mechanism.

5. A removable unit comprising supporting means, curved members pivotally mountedthereon intermediate their ends, pivotally mounted pedals, links connecting. one end of said curved members with the pedal pivoted means and an exhauster mechanism having linked connections with the other ends of being movable in opposite directions.

6. Supporting means independent of and.

movable from a piano case, exhaust mechanism supported thereby, pedals and pivot ally supported means movable with said pedals and pivotally connected with a movable member of the exhaust mechanism.

7. Supporting means independent of and removable from a piano case, exhaust mechanism supported thereby, pedals and pivotally supported means movable with said pedals and pivotally connected with a movable member of the exhaust mechanism, said pedals being foldable beneath said exhaust mechanism.

8. Supporting means independent of and removable from a piano case, exhaust mechanismsupported thereby, pedals and pivot ally supported means movable with said pedals and pivotally connected with a movable member of the exhaust mechanism, all of the connections being disposed in aplane below that of the exhaust mechanism.

9. Supporting means independent of and removable from a piano case, attaching means therefor, pedal mechanism foldable within said supporting means, exhaust mechanism mounted directly upon said supporting means and pivotally mounted curved members fulcrumed within the supporting means and having their opposite ends linked to the pedals and a member of the exhaust mechanism.

10. A pedal receptacle, independent of and removable from a piano and forming a support, pedals carried thereby and pivotally mounted to fold therewithin, exhaust mechanism mounted upon the top of said sup-- port, curved arms pivotally mounted intermediate their ends in said receptacle and pivotal connections between said arms and the pedals and a member of the exhaust mechanism, said pedals and connections foldable within said receptacle and substantially into a vertical position therewithin.

11. A pedal receptacle, independent of and movable from a piano and forming a support, pedals carried thereby and pivotally mounted to fold therewithin, exhaust mechanism mounted upon the top of said support, curved arms pivotally mounted intermediate their ends in said receptacle and pivotal connections between said arms and the pedals and a member of the exhaust mechanism, said pedals and connections foldable within said receptacle and substantially into a vertical position therewithin, the pivots of said curved arms being fixed with relation to the pedals and disposed inward beyond the vertical plane through the pivotal connection of a member of the exhaust mechanism therewith.

12. A pedal receptacle, independent of and removable from a piano case, pedals carried thereby and pivotally mounted to fold therewithin exhaust mechanism mounted upon the top of said support, curved arms pivotall mounted intermediate their ends in said receptacle and pivotal connections between said arms and the pedals and a member of the exhaust mechanism, said pedals and connections fold-able within said receptacle and substantially into a vertical position therewithin, the pivots of said curved arms being 10 fixed with relation to the pedals and disposed inward beyond the vertieal plane through the pivotal connection of a member of the exhaust mechanism therewith and all removable as a unit from a musical instru- 15 ment.

In testimony whereof I affix m signature.

GEORGE P. RAND. 

